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Axios San Francisco
Anchor Brewing has a new owner
By Megan Rose Dickey,
2024-05-31
The billionaire owner behind yogurt brand Chobani has acquired Anchor Brewing Co. , the historic San Francisco brewery that shut down last year.
Why it matters: Anchor Brewing, often called the godfather of steam beer, had become a staple in San Francisco, so its closure after 127 years of business sent shockwaves through the city.
Driving the news: Shepherd Futures, the family office of Chobani CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya, on Friday announced its acquisition of Anchor Brewing's assets.
That includes the recipes, Potrero Hill facilities, brewing equipment and original logos.
What they're saying: "Being part of a rebirth and brand of the company and being part of maybe a new dimension of the city is pretty exciting," Ulukaya told the San Francisco Standard .
The intrigue: Ulukaya told the San Francisco Chronicle he did not know Anchor Brewing existed until last August, when he read about the news of its closure.
Ulukaya, who lives in New York, has been to San Francisco only a handful of times but "felt completely home" when he first visited Anchor Brewing's facilities, he told the Standard.
Flashback: Anchor Brewing began in the Gold Rush era, when pioneer brewer Gottlieb Brekle came to San Francisco from Germany in the mid-1800s and bought an old billiards saloon in 1871.
The brewery did well after officially launching in 1896 but struggled when the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires wreaked havoc on San Francisco.
After Prohibition ended in 1933, American demand for lighter, mass-produced beers almost forced Anchor Brewing into bankruptcy until a young Stanford graduate named Fritz Maytag bought 51% of the craft brewery in 1965 and transformed its products and distribution approach.
The brewery soon expanded its beer offerings and began partnering with local venues to serve its beverages.
Ahead of Anchor Brewing's closure last year, then-owner Sapporo pointed to declining sales as the reason for its shutdown.
What to watch: Ulukaya told the Chronicle that he would like to resume operations in time for Christmas, but the company first needs to get approval from the city.
Ulukaya has already met with some city officials, including Mayor London Breed, who told the Chronicle she's "grateful for his commitment to being a part of the future for our city" and keeping Anchor's beer "right here where it belongs."
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